The Ukraine Crisis Part 1 The initial Battles

This caught my eye. Headline and exerpt:

Russia Says It Will End Ukraine War on These Four Conditions

 

https://twitter.com/idinamenzel/sta...e-praised-performance-let-it-go-bomb-shelter/

 

As one of our experienced and retired Generals pointed out about the 'stalled convoy':

"Those troops in those trucks are on half-rations and sitting on metal seats or sleeping on metal floors in 30 degree temperatures at night. Some are probably running their engines for heat, using fuel, even though told by their officers not to. The ordinary infantry soldier will look out for himself and his friends first."

 

In a 40-mile convoy you'd think there would be a lot more trucks hauling food!

 

Dunno

As artillery Shells occupy a lot of space . A lot of those trucks will be carrying ammunition . I believe they only had 3 days rations and fuel . I couldnt see any pictures of fuel trucks from the pictures i have seen .

 

Does 'bowsers' mean food prep, stoves, groceries?

 

I used an American term as in fuel truck . We call them tankers but I thought you guys refer to the mas bowsers . Any way fuel trucks .

 

Any way I have an update on these 23 Mig Fighters . This is from the UK end of things .

The Poles are getting them readied to be flown to an American Air Base in Germany .

The reported destination is Ramstein .

There they will be literally dumped as part exchange items for the US disposal . We all know where they are going dont we ?

Its a message to Moscow that its "Nowt to do with us argue with Washington "

I did raise a question on this tonight to a fellow arms expert on a News show in the UK .My concern was will the Russians not see this as a provocation ? The answer is "No" as its no different than trucking NLAWS,Javelin and Stinger missile systems . Its not yet signed off but its edging closer .


A picture of Ramstein Airbase

 

Get those planes to the Ukrainians ASAP, please

 

totally off topic cant resist though

 

Never heard of it.

 

It wasn't pickles...

 

Sorry

Fuel Bowsers | Water Bowsers | Storage Tanks | Bowser ...


Our Bunded Fuel Bowsers use a unique patented design to totally eliminate the ... Manufactured from 3mm mild steel plate, all the fuel bowser products in ...

I will re edit

 

Putin is finished .

Lets look at the facts

1) The Ukraine Crisis , militarily has been a bigger flop than the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan . In that invasion they lost 15000 troops over roughly a 10 year period ( 1979-89) . I think we are on day 14 of the Ukraine crisis . He has reportedly lost 10000 ( conservative figure) troops already ,around 800 armoured machines be it tanks or APCs , many abandoned . All this in 14 days . He has captured one major city and even that is contested. The morale of his troops is at an all time low being in the main conscripted kids with very little experience of modern warfare .Supplies are low and the Ukrainian drones have been very affective in taking out his supply trucks laiden with fuel . This is the only reported use of these Turkish supplied drones. His tactics which is Russian doctrine is to attack civilian populations and rack up pressure on the Government to submit . However Putin has miscalculated the Ukrainian stoic resolve of the Ukrainian people and this pummeling so far hasn't worked. At some stage he will have to report to the people of Russia with a progress update .

2) I have seen reports tonight that Putin is beginning to accept a compromise and will settle for east of the Ukrainian country whereby many are Russian speaking and follow the Russian culture

3) The sanctions are beginning to take effect on the oligarchs and they will start questioning Putin over this and they carry a lot of influence .

4) The biggest effect has been the voluntary withdrawal from Russia of Western Companies .They obviously do not want to have to report to their shareholders that they are condoning Russias war .

5) The Russian economy is in a mess and therefore the Russian state . A Rubel is worth less than a US Cent .

6) Russia has become isolated and very much the new North Korea.


The only fly in the ointment could be China . China is the only entity that could rescue him .

If they stay out of it Putin is finished. Its a question of when rather than if .

An acid test will be his reaction when the 23 Mig Jets are received by the Ukrainians from the Poles via the US . If he just blows hot air then that will add to the above case that he is finished .

A lot on his plate

 

Putin didn't count on the Ukrainians having such BIG BALLS!

 

Poland stated that they're not going to supply Ukraine with fighter jets, which would be Soviet era aircraft and which is understandable. They don't want to be invaded by Putin after he's finished with Ukraine. The other countries on Ukraine's south and western border probably have the same fears. The only solution is for NATO to supply the aircraft, if that's possible.

 

On both CNN and MSNBC they often have as a guest commentator the retired Lt Col Vindman.

Until congressional hearings last year, he was a career intelligence-gatherer in the US military on Russia for twenty-odd years. He never wanted to be a public figure, but was thrust into the role. And it's a damn good thing he is now, and being used for his insights. His comments and assessments are 'real-world' based, not just theoretical. He's now on MSNBC with some others for this hour.

 

Poland said they will be sending their Mig29 fleet to Germany, they will then be sent to the Ukraine.

 

I wonder if this is a diplomatic version of 'sleight-of-hand', as in "Don't look here, look over there". And 'plausable deniability'. Some intelligent minds are probably working on this.

 

While you may have a point, you're forgetting that independent, sovereign nations such as Ukraine have the full right to seek membership in any clubs they damn well please, and that it's not Russia's place to tell them what to do. If anything, Putin's recent behavior demonstrates exactly why NATO is needed to counter Russia's bullying tactics.

Ask yourself this: Why do the former Soviet satellites feel the need to have NATO-protection? Could this perhaps be, because Russia was a shitty master to its underlings? And that they don't want to go back to that dysfunctional relationship anymore? To these countries, NATO is their only true protection, and we're now seeing why its presence is needed. Because Russia cannot be trusted ever.